England and France teams unite in show of defiance and respect
‘Marseillaise’ national anthem roars around Wembley in an emotional night - teenager Dele Alli and Wayne Rooney score in 2-0 victory
A moving rendition of the French national anthem reverberated around London’s Wembley Stadium on Tuesday as fans of England and France paid tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks.
We were all united in this moment of communion, which obviously lifts the spirits because you feel it in your heart. It’s beautiful, it’s moving, it’s grandiose. It’s very strong
In a crowd of 71,223 that included British Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince William, many stood to sing La Marseillaise four days on from the attacks, which left 129 people dead and over 350 injured.
England won a subdued match 2-0 courtesy of goals from Dele Alli and captain Wayne Rooney, but the outcome of the contest was a mere anecdote on a night thick with poignancy.
“Emotionally, it was a very, very strong moment,” France manager Didier Deschamps said.
“We were all united in this moment of communion, which obviously lifts the spirits because you feel it in your heart. It’s beautiful, it’s moving, it’s grandiose. It’s very strong.”
France midfielder Lassana Diarra, who lost a female cousin in the attacks, and teammate Antoine Griezmann, whose sister escaped the massacre at the Bataclan concert hall, both came on in the second half.
“He sent us a remarkable message,” Deschamps said. “His presence with us was something very, very strong. That’s why I let him play the last few minutes.”